Fostering FAQs

Many people regularly ask what fostering entails, and whether it is right for them. We thought the easiest way to give you the information you need to decide if it is right for you, was to pull together some typical FAQs.

If you think you’re ready to foster after reading the information below, click here to apply for a homecheck.

Where is STARS Rescue based?

STARS Rescue doesn’t have a base. We rehome dogs through dedicated foster homes throughout the UK. Each of these homes are dog lovers who have passed a homecheck and agreed to the terms and conditions of the rescue.

What does being a foster home mean?

Following your successful homecheck, we will establish what dogs we have on our waiting list that will suitably fit into your home environment. We make sure it’s both right for you, and the dog. We take into account any resident animals, any children, hours out of the house etc. Where we do not have any suitable dogs on our waiting list, we ask our passed homes to be patient and wait for a suitable dog to come into rescue. Sometimes this allows us to save dogs that are on death row (dogs that are in kennels/pounds that have euthanasia policies). We therefore ask that homes bear with us if a dog is not immediately available, as you are sometimes the only life line available for a dog.

I have young children, can I still foster?

Yes. The whole point of our homecheck procedure, and contact from the STARS team is to understand your family, and see whether you are suitable for a dog, and a dog is suitable for you. Our utmost importance is the safety of all people and animals involved so we take a pragmatic approach when children are involved. Please be aware, we are unable to place any dogs that come directly from a pound if you have children. This is due to the limited knowledge of the dog.

Do I need to have owned a husky previously before taking a dog from STARS Rescue?

It’s always a bonus if you have, but it isn’t necessary. All we ask is that you have done some research and can demonstrate an understanding of the breed when we contact you to discuss/arrange your homecheck.

Can I be a short term foster home?

Unfortunately, due to the nature of fostering we can’t put a time limit on how long a dog will be in foster. A dog is in foster until a suitable permanent home arises. Our shortest foster period has been two months, and longest in excess of 1 year. Every time a dog moves between homes it unsettles them and can undo any training/confidence building that has taken place.

Does it cost to foster a dog?

The only costs involved in fostering a dog are any costs associated with having a dog day to day; for example feeding.

Do STARS Rescue pay for worming/flea treatment?

As a rule – no. Not all dogs require this treatment. If the dog needs this treatment when they come to your home due to them having either issue, then we would but the choice to flea treat/worm is down to the individual foster home to decide whether they wish to do this.

What if I fall in love with my foster dog and can’t let them go?

No problem! Our foster homes always get first choice on the dog they are fostering. It makes sense to have a dog stay with their foster home as they’ve already built that bond. All we ask is that you pay a deposit on your dog to secure them, and we will officially mark them as reserved.

I just want to be a foster home, and don’t want to adopt – is that allowed?

Definitely! We love our permanent foster homes as they’re the ones that help us help other dogs. It’s always hard to let a foster dog go as they feel part of the family, but if we didn’t have the people who could do that, we’d never be able to help more dogs!

What if my dog requires a visit to the vets?

Whilst a dog is in foster, STARS Rescue are responsible for any vet bills.

Before making a trip to the vets, you must discuss any treatment requirements with a member of the STARS team.

Can I foster dogs for other rescues while I foster your dog?

As a general rule no. The reason for this is that if there is any altercation between the two foster dogs, and either are injured it is difficult to decide which rescue is responsible for any veterinary treatment required. However, it would entirely depend upon the circumstances and an agreement between the two rescues

I foster for other rescues, can I foster for you?

We look at each application for its merits, and where you are fostering for another rescue we may decide that we would not place a dog with you. However, it would entirely depend upon the circumstances and an agreement between the two rescues

I have been turned down by other rescues, is it even worth me applying?

Of course it is! Each rescue has different criteria as to what they think is a good home or not. Please be aware we may ask the other rescue the reasons for your refusal.

I know of huskies that are walked off lead, surely I can let them off lead?

Absolutely not. This is something we do not allow – ever. Huskies are renowned for having a high prey drive, and were originally bred to run long distances. Many breeds have specific traits that are unique to them. Having worked in rescue for a number of years, we have seen so many tragic incidents where dogs have been walked off lead for years and have eventually ended up running and not listening to any calls from their owner. These dogs have either been knocked down by cars, or shot by farmers for ‘sheep worrying’.

I have cats/small animals, can I foster?

Yes, provided you are able to keep your small animals separate from your foster dog. Prey drives vary between dogs as they are all individuals; however, experience has taught us that the majority of huskies have high prey drives. We have known of people that have allowed their huskies to live with their cats for years but have eventually killed the cat. It is also very hard to ‘forgive’ where this may happen, and have seen foster/adoptive homes at other rescues demand the dog is removed immediately due to them killing one of their other animals. It’s not fair on the foster dog, and certainly not fair on any resident animals that are harmed. We do not wish for any animals to be put in danger.

Why does my fence have to be 6ft?

Having done your research, and even a simple search of Google, you will see hilarious pictures/memes all over of huskies that have managed to get themselves in awkward situations where they’ve climbed/jumped over their small fences. Unfortunately, those pictures are the dogs that are lucky. Many of the dogs that do escape from gardens due to inadequate boundaries are either seriously injured or killed.

Can I meet the dog before I take them in?

Unfortunately this is rarely possible to accommodate. A lot of our dogs come directly from high kill pounds, and typically don’t allow members of the public to visit. Aside from that, dogs come into the rescue from all areas of the UK and it is sometimes geographically impossible to facilitate meets.

What if the dog doesn’t settle when it arrives?

When you first get a dog, there is always a settling in period. These dogs have been taken from the place they called home, the place where they loved their people and have been moved to a new place; not knowing whether they can trust the new family; and sometimes have to meet a new dog(s) instantaneously. Some of these dogs have spent significant time in a pound, fearful of their surroundings.

Think about it in terms of people, if you were taken from your home, and forced to live with new people, for what you believed would be forever, you’re not going to be overly happy.

We have a dedicated foster group, and the STARS team to ensure that the settling period goes as smooth as possible. From personal experience, some dogs take months to fully come out of their shell – but it’s magical when it happens!

What can I expect from STARS Rescue as a foster home?

We are at your disposal 24/7. Either by private message on Facebook, in our dedicated foster group, or via telephone.

What does STARS Rescue expect from me as a foster home?

The most important part of being a foster home is keeping us up to date with how your foster dog is doing. We expect daily updates within the first few weeks, and we love seeing pictures of our foster dogs.

How can I help find my foster dog their forever home?

We have found that the dogs that get adopted quickest are those from foster homes that can provide the most, clearest pictures. When you think about it, people are choosing a dog based on the information they see on Facebook or the STARS website. The more pictures and videos of your dog you can provide, the better people can understand the dogs personality and it’s easier to imagine that dog being part of your family.